Forest Service (Direccion General Forestal, DGF) to
cover expenses of planting and fencing in the form of
a loan that was forgiven if the farmer cared for the
trees for three years. Windbreaks are usually mixed
species of trees planted in strips four trees wide, with
fencing to keep out cattle (Fig. 12.4). Wooden fence
posts were used until 1991, when they were replaced
in part by living fence posts to reduce tree-cutting
(MCL Tapir Tracks, vol. 6, no. 1, 1991, vol. 7, no. 1,
1992, vol. 7, no. 2,1992). By 1994, more than 500,000
trees produced in the nurseries had been planted by
263 farmers in 320 windbreak projects (MCL Annual
Report 1994; Monteverde Journal, vol. 2, no. 2,1995).
Farmers perceived that windbreaks increased milk
and crop production and contributed to their wood
needs and to wildlife habitat (M. V. Zamora and
O. Varela, pers. comm.).
At first, exotic species such as casuarina (Casua-
rina equisetifolia) and cypress (Cupressus lusitanica)
were planted because they were known to farmers and
foresters and were on the DGF list of species approved
for incentives. The MCL investigated the use of na-
tive species in its nurseries, asking farmers about
promising trees and then collecting seeds by hand
from local trees. Some species worked well for wind-
breaks; they were resistant to diseases and pests that
affected exotic species. The DGF eventually added
some native species to their list of approved trees.
Demonstration plots led farmers in the zone to use
native species and naturalized exotics such as Col-
pachi (Croton niveus). Another windbreak species,
Tubu (Montanoa guatemalensis), is native to Pacific
slope elevations between 700 and 1200 m but grows
well above that elevation. It is the most widely used
"native" species in windbreaks because it grows very
quickly and its high leaf volume creates an effec-
tive barrier to wind (MCL 1994b, c, d, F. Joyce, pers.
comm.).
The MCL promoted success in reforestation by rec-
ognizing the achievements of reforesters through the
Day of the Reforester, which honored the best wind-
break projects of the year. The reforesters wanted more
of a voice in MCL, and in 1992 they staged a demon-
stration at MCL's office, demanding to be made full
members of the general assembly. If this were granted,
reforesters would have had the majority vote in deter-
mining MCL policies since the general assembly elects
the board. The MCL instead set up a separate Forest-
ers' General Assembly, which created some resent-
ment among reforesters (W. Guindon, pers. comm.).
In 1995, MCL's grants for windbreaks ran out and
government restructuring ended DGF's incentive pro-
gram, so the reforestation program ended. The wind-
breaks are likely to remain since they benefit the farm-
ers (G. Vargas, pers. comm.).
The MCL developed two forest preservation proj-
ects with local communities. In 1989, MCL signed an
agreement with El Buen Amigo cooperative in San
Luis (Fig. 1.7) to lease their forest for ten years and
help them with sustainable development (Fig. 10.11).
The cooperative used lease money to buy an adjoin-
ing dairy farm to expand their milk production (see
E. Vargas, "El Buen Amigo," p. 379). In 1990, commu-
nity members of La Cruz asked MCL to raise funds to
purchase 7.9 ha of primary and secondary forest con-
taining springs, their sole source of water. The com-
munity established a legally recognized association to
manage and protect the La Cruz Reserve when MCL
turned it over to them (MCL Annual Report 1997).
The Forests on Farms and Corridors Project, an
extension of the reforestation program (1993-1997),
was funded by international conservation organiza-Figure 10.11. Manuel Cruz and
Tomas Fuentes, residents of the
Buen Amigo farm in San Luis with
their crop of coffee; a windbreak
established with help from the
Monteverde Conservation League
is in the background. Photograph
by Leslie Burlingame.366 Conservation in the Monteverde Zone